Tom Gantert, Senior Capitol Correspondent [Mackinac Center]

Tom Gantert is senior capitol correspondent for Michigan Capitol Confidential, a daily news site of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

When Gantert arrived at Capitol Confidential in February 2010, he already had extensive experience as a journalist, having worked for more than 20 years at Michigan daily newspapers, including The Jackson Citizen Patriot, Lansing State Journal and Ann Arbor News. Gantert also served a four-month stint at USA Today as part of a Gannett Corporation loaner program. In 2008, Gantert was The Ann Arbor News writer of the year, and in September 2009, he founded Reporting Michigan, a nonprofit news Web site.

Gantert holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University. He has two sons and lives in Jackson, Mich.

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School Haze: Contract Convoluted Regarding Right-to-Work

Published on Aug. 7, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Public School District Constantly Promoting Far-Left Political Views

Published on Aug. 6, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Almost No Teachers In District's Low-Performing Schools Considered 'Ineffective'

Published on Aug. 5, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Loses 40K Grads; Corporate Welfare Program Paid $127K Each To Keep 125 of Them

Published on Aug. 1, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Solar Subsidy Part Two

Published on July 30, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Early Returns On Michigan As a Right-to-Work State: Incomes Rising

Published on July 25, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

State Budget Has Increased Almost $5 Billion the Past Three Years

Published on July 21, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

State Board Prez Fights Parental Choice

Published on July 16, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan 8th Congressional District GOP Primary Getting Feisty

Published on July 15, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Making Sense Of The Complicated Ballot Language For Proposal 1

Published on July 12, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Manufacturing Job Growth Helps Move Michigan Ahead

Published on July 11, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Teacher Pension Costs Increase To Nearly $1 Billion Per Year

Published on July 9, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Failing Charter Public Schools Are Shut Down; Conventional Public Schools Remain Open

Published on July 8, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Public School District Benefits By Branching Into Private Schools

Published on July 7, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

School Official Says Illegal Language Should Be Removed From Union Contract

Published on July 5, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Taxpayers Handcuffed By Money Being Given To Beverly Hills Cop Production Company

Published on July 2, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Schauer Wants to Put Limits On Advertising Done By Charter Public Schools

Published on July 2, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Supreme Court Rules Unionization Schemes Involving Home-Based Care Providers Are Illegal

Published on June 30, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Public School Administrators Complain About Pension Costs; Don't Offer Solutions

Published on June 25, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

School Districts Copying Each Other's Homework While Calling Increased Funding a 'Cut'

Published on June 23, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

A Request For Lower Beer And Wine Prices

Published on June 21, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

State Agency Rules That Graduate Student Research Assistants Not Eligible For Unionization

Published on June 20, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

School District's Math Doesn't Add Up

Published on June 19, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Wind Power 'Success Story' Was a Massive Failure

Published on June 18, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

State Budget Shifts Extra Revenue Sharing Funds To Detroit

Published on June 17, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Double Standard On School District Deficits

Published on June 16, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Teacher Pension System Liabilities Increase Again

Published on June 13, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

MEA Sends Credit Agency After Teacher Who Stopped Paying Dues

Published on June 12, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Legislator Blames 'Shady Bankers' For Detroit's Problems Despite Voting To Double Debt

Published on June 9, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Proposed State Law Would End Blowout High School Football Games Early

Published on June 7, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Bill Would Allow Strip Searches for Misdemeanor Crimes; Probable Cause Not Necessary

Published on June 4, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Despite Differing Reports, Michigan Experiencing 'Solid Job Recovery'

Published on June 3, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

A Timeline of Events

Published on June 2, 2014 – Impact

Internal Issues Put International Charter Public School At Risk

Published on June 2, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Teachers Contract Contains Questionable Forced Unionization Clause

Published on May 30, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

The 89,000 Clean Energy Jobs Myth

Published on May 28, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Union Opposes Privatization For Others, Outsources For Itself

Published on May 27, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

MEA Still Chasing Thousands Not Paying Dues Or Fees

Published on May 26, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

A Look At The Left-Wing Groups The National Education Association Supports

Published on May 23, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Teachers Contribute to Six-Figure Salaries at the NEA

Published on May 21, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Hypocrisy Over Private Organizations 'Profiteering' Off Education System

Published on May 16, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

MEA Economist Ignores Billions In Education Spending

Published on May 13, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

State Government Playing Favorites With Food Providers

Published on May 12, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Stricter Rules Proposed For Taxpayer Funded Bridge Cards

Published on May 9, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Union Surrenders Member Benefits To Keep Unenforceable Clause In Contract

Published on May 9, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Despite Shortage Of Bus Drivers, Union Wants Worker Fired For Not Paying Dues

Published on May 7, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Attorney General: School District Violating State Law By Automatically Deducting Union Dues

Published on May 6, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

School Board Member: Close Teacher Pension System

Published on May 3, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Repeating Inaccurate Claim About School Funding Does Not Make It True

Published on April 29, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Union Leader Claims Government Entities 'Falsifying' Financial Problems

Published on April 26, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Schauer Calls For Long-Term Solvency Of Pension System; As State Senator Voted To Underfund It

Published on April 24, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Schauer Education Plan Looks To Shut Down Successful Charter Public Schools

Published on April 23, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

CEO Compensation Comparison Lacks Perspective

Published on April 22, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Retiree Becoming Face Of 'Pension Tax' Collecting Generously

Published on April 21, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

School District May Violate State Law By Removing Teachers Based Strictly On Seniority

Published on April 18, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Superintendent Claiming Less Money Receives $515 More Per Pupil

Published on April 16, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Special Deals Allow Detroit To Collect Hundreds Of Millions In Extra Revenue

Published on April 15, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Local Governments Not Starved For Cash

Published on April 11, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Grand Rapids Selectively Released Public Information

Published on April 9, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Reuben Sandwich With A Side Of 500K Lost Jobs

Published on April 8, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Cities Increase Fees, Spend More While Complaining About State Shared Revenue

Published on April 7, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

School Union Contracts Across The State Retain Clauses Calling For Hiring Based On Race

Published on April 4, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Superintendent Says District Worse Off Despite Getting More Overall State Money

Published on April 2, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Union Teacher Contract Has Illegal Racial Preferences Provision

Published on March 31, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

District Disputes MEA President's Claim About School Funding Cuts

Published on March 28, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Paying $860 Million In Select Tax Incentives, Subsidies

Published on March 26, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Poll Shows Many Michigan Residents Misinformed About Education Spending

Published on March 24, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Electric Vehicle Battery Subsidy Failures Evident Early On

Published on March 20, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Non-Christians Given 'Special Consideration' In Union Teacher Contract

Published on March 19, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

More People On Food Stamps After Past Minimum Wage Increases

Published on March 17, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Union Intimidation List Back Up

Published on March 14, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Unions, Left-Leaning Groups Dominate List of Largest Political Donors

Published on March 13, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

MEA Says 8,000 Haven't Paid Dues; Some Teachers Say Union Intentionally Misled Members

Published on March 10, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

'Super Seniority' For Union Officials, Other Clauses In School Contracts Prohibited By Law

Published on March 6, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Third-Grade Reading Levels Down Significantly

Published on March 5, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Union Touts Liability Insurance As Perk; Costs $4.35 A Year Per Member

Published on March 4, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Union Website Warns About Bullying, But Members Who Opted Out Report Being Bullied

Published on March 3, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Union Exec Claims Posting Names of Workers Who Opted Out Serves As Membership Reminder for Others

Published on Feb. 28, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

School District, Union Working Together To Try To Ban Charter Schools

Published on Feb. 26, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Housing Expenses Among the Perks Michigan Residents Pay for Big Hollywood

Published on Feb. 24, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Hospital Union Resorts to Intimidation Tactics Against Workers Who Opt Out

Published on Feb. 20, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

School Districts Insist They Need More Money to Educate Fewer Students

Published on Feb. 18, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

School District Works Around State Law To Protect Teachers Based on Seniority

Published on Feb. 14, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Exports to Mexico and China Increasing

Published on Feb. 13, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Union Bullies Workers Exercising Their Rights

Published on Feb. 10, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Narrative Changing On Michigan K-12 Education Spending

Published on Feb. 6, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Democrats Selectively Considering Pension Benefits In Education Funding

Published on Feb. 4, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Job Growth Higher Than Initially Reported

Published on Jan. 31, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Pension Costs Mean Tighter Budgets For Classrooms, Taxpayers

Published on Jan. 29, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Advocates of More Education Spending Ignoring Billions in Other Funds

Published on Jan. 27, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Gubernatorial Candidate Makes Inaccurate Claim About Education Spending

Published on Jan. 24, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

The $2 Billion Education Funding Myth

Published on Jan. 17, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Reality Check: Michigan Public Schools Getting More Money For Fewer Students

Published on Jan. 16, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Auto Jobs On the Rebound Thanks to 'Leaner and Meaner' Manufacturers

Published on Jan. 14, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Mismanagement Often to Blame for School District Financial Troubles

Published on Jan. 13, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Cities Take Snow Emergencies To New Restrictive Level

Published on Jan. 8, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Record Profits for Warner Bros. Doesn't Stop State From Giving Company Huge Subsidy

Published on Jan. 6, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Among the Leaders In Job Growth

Published on Jan. 3, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Superintendent Makes False Claim About Her Salary, Benefits

Published on Jan. 2, 2014 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

While Salaries Decline, Total Cost For Michigan Teachers Increasing

Published on Dec. 31, 2013 – Michigan Capitol Confidential